Indiana State Rep. Asks For Investigation Into Gas Prices

by Gabe Bullard on July 10, 2008

A state lawmaker in New Albany wants to know why the price of gas is higher in his district than in the rest of the state.

State Representative William Cochran has asked the house speaker to assign a legislative study committee to investigate gas prices. Cochran says prices vary throughout the state, but average about 20 cents higher in southern Indiana.

In the summer, New Albany uses cleaner-burning reformulated gasoline (RFG), but Cochran says the price difference is too large to blame solely on RFG, and he hopes the investigation will provide an explanation.

“I don’t know whether that’ll lead to lower gas prices, but I’m inquisitive to the point of why the people of Southern Indiana are being charged twenty to twenty five cents more per gallon of gasoline than the people of Central Indiana,” says Cochran.

Cochran says any evidence of price gouging or collusion will be reported to the attorney general. A similar investigation is underway in Kentucky, where gas prices are sharply higher in Louisville.